Socrates

Plato s Apology written in 300 BC is a first hand account of Socrates trials in Athens. Socrates is known today as one of the greatest philosophers off all time yet he was regarded as sophist in the days of Ancient Greece. Born in 406 BC Socrates was raised during a time of great exploration of the mind and body; a time of great discovery with new fundamental questions being asked everyday. As these sophists or lovers of knowledge explored both the physical world and spiritual world, the scientist broke off from the study of reasoning into their own niches. Those who studied reason and debate soon began selling their knowledge to those who had to appear in a court of law, defending themselves. They began to get a bad name as they were seen twisting the truth, making even a false conclusion seem like a legitimate one. This unfortunate stereotype is what condemned Socrates to his death.

Socrates did not sell his knowledge nor did he charge for his teaching, rather he used plain discussion and questioning now know as the Socratic teaching method to instigate ideas in the youth of Athens. However, Socrates was very clever with reasoning and although not corrupt he did collect quite an array of enemies because of his disposition which in my opinion consisted of a very pronounced arrogance. Some may say he was humble and modest yet this is hard to believe considering the following quote:

Neither of us knows anything that is really worth knowing, but he thinks that he has knowledge when he has not, while I, having no knowledge, do not think that I have. I seem, at any rate, to be a little wiser than he is on this point: I do not think that I know what I do not know : Page 26

Socrates a self proclaimed philosopher, destitute, is challenging the greatest of poets, politicians and artisans. He claims that they are not wise because they do not know what knowledge they posses or that they did not posses knowledge in the first place. This gained Socrates many enemies.

I find it confusing